1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a device used for grooming pets, specifically to an improved device for the removal of shedding and loose hair from pets as well as for the grooming of living hair.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are a number of pet grooming devices that have as part of their purpose the removal of shedding and loose hair. For a grooming device to be effective in removing shedding and loose hair it must remove not only the hair that is already loose or disconnected from the skin of the animal, but also hair that is still connected to the skin but soon to become disconnected. It is the hair follicles that are about to become loose that are the primary problem because soon after the animal is brushed or combed, these hair follicles will become loose requiring additional combing or brushing for them to be removed. The effectiveness of the prior art in the removal of loose and shedding hair is limited by two factors: 1) the amount of hair that the operative parts of the device come into contact with during use, and 2) the amount of friction between the device and the hair follicles, or pulling force, created as the device is being used.
The typical brush has some effectiveness in removing loose and shedding hair. The closer the bristles are together, the more friction occurs between the hair follicles and the brush bristles, and the more loose and shedding hair the device will remove. However, the closer the bristles are together, the harder it is to penetrate the coat of hair of the animal. If the coat of hair is not fully penetrated, the bristles of the brush do not come into contact with enough of the hair follicles that need to be removed.
The typical comb has some effectiveness in removing loose and shedding hair. The closer the teeth of the comb are together, the greater will be the friction between the teeth of the comb and the hair follicles, causing increased removal of shedding and loose hair. As with the brush, there is a limit to how close the teeth of a comb can be together and still allow effective penetration of the coat of hair. In addition, a typical comb has only one row of teeth, limiting the amount of contact with hair follicles during its use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,424 to Casler (1975) shows a comb with two rows of teeth angularly directed so that one tooth crosses and contacts another tooth. An animal's hair will pass between these teeth and the pressure between these teeth will pull at the hair and remove it if it is loose. While this invention does have pulling force, it has limited contact with hair follicles due to having two rows of teeth coming together at only one effective contact point.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,457 to Gordon (1989) shows an elongated comb strip with V-shaped teeth on one side and parallel teeth on the other with mating handle members at either end of the strip so that the device can be bent into a closed loop teardrop shape for use. This device has the same limitation as the other combs--limited contact with hair follicles due to having one row of teeth and limited pulling force.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,885 to Jones (1971) discloses a brush designed to be attached to a vacuum cleaner tube enabling suction of loose hairs and other particles from the coat of a pet. Another device in use is a glove with the underside coated with a surface of soft, sticky rubber containing short conical protrusions. Both of these devices are limited in their effectiveness in removing loose hair by the limited amount of hair follicles that they come into contact with during use and the limited amount of friction between them and the hair follicles.
Objects and Advantages
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:
(a) to provide a grooming device for pets that is more effective than the prior art in 1) penetrating the coat of the animal, 2) contacting a significant portion of the hair follicles of the animal, and 3) removing loose and shedding hair and knots as well as grooming the living hair; PA1 (b) to provide a grooming device for pets that generates enough friction between the parts in contact with the hair follicles and the hair follicles, or pulling force, to effectively pull out hair follicles that are about to shed but not yet disconnected from the skin as well as removing hair follicles that are already disconnected from the skin; PA1 (c) to provide a grooming device for pets that effectively removes loose hair and hair that will be shed but is not yet disconnected from the skin that is not unpleasant to the animal being groomed; PA1 (d) to provide a grooming device for pets that effectively removes loose hair and hair that will be shed but is not yet disconnected from the skin that is effective on long as well as short haired animals and thin as well as thick haired animals;
Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.